Physical and mechanical properties of thermosensitive xanthan/collagen-inspired protein composite hydrogels. Issue 3 (11th February 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pham, Thao T. H.; Snijkers, Frank; Storm, Ingeborg M.; de Wolf, Frits A.; Cohen Stuart, Martien A.; van der Gucht, Jasper
• Is Part Of: International journal of polymeric materials. Volume 65:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 125
• Page End: 133
• Publication Date: 2016-02-11
• Subjects: Xanthan -- collagen-inspired protein -- composite hydrogels -- thermosensitivity -- strain-softening -- electrostatic interaction; Polymers -- Periodicals; Plastics -- Periodicals; 620.19205
• DOI: 10.1080/00914037.2015.1074904
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0091-4037

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Functionalization of xanthan hydrogels is of interest for biomaterial applications. The authors report characterization of electrostatic complexation of xanthan with a recombinant collagen-inspired triblock protein polymer. This polymer has one charged polylysine end-block that can bind to xanthan by electrostatic interactions, and another end-block that can self-assemble into thermosensitive collagen-like triple helices; the end-blocks are connected by a neutral, hydrophilic, mostly inert random coil. The protein modifies the xanthan/protein composite hydrogels in three ways: (a) a significant increase in storage modulus, (b) thermosensitivity, and (c) a two-step strain softening in nonlinear rheology. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: